Aligned from one side to the other of the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park football stadium end zone are the campus’ three high school logos.

Canton’s red, Salem’s blue and Plymouth’s black share turf space in equal parts — even though their football fortunes have not always been so balanced.

But 2018 could be the start of new Park turf wars, with the Chiefs, Rocks and Wildcats each starting anew with a new head coach, fresh ideas and plenty of optimism.

“You don’t see that too often,” said Salem coach Justin Reed, taking over from Kurt Britnell. “I think we’re the only place in America that has all three schools on one campus. There’s others with two.

“But having all three here — and with all three new head coaches — is a challenge and an exciting time, all in the same breath.”

On-field results haven’t always matched preseason enthusiasm, but at least two of the Park’s three squads have been consistent contenders — especially Canton, from 1998 to 2017 under the watch of now-retired hall of fame coach Tim Baechler.

Conversely, Salem’s playoff spot last season (with a 5-4 mark) was its first since 1991.

Meanwhile, Plymouth has been a playoff regular during Mike Sawchuk’s decade-long regime.

But as clean of a slate as it is across the Park, the first marks on the board will be made this weekend, good or bad. The Rocks will be first out of the tunnel, squaring off Thursday, Aug. 23, against Wayne Memorial.

On Friday, Aug. 24, Plymouth (4-5 in 2017) will face Livonia Stevenson in Ann Arbor, at the annual Battle at the Big House, while Canton hosts Livonia Churchill later that day.

“I think it’s pretty cool, because everybody’s got a fresh canvas,” said Brian Lewis, who succeeds Sawchuk. “I think guys are able to show us who they are, who might have had a certain persona for the previous staff.

“So I think it’s pretty cool that guys got a fresh canvas and myself, I got a fresh canvas, and we kind of get to create an identity together and create a team together with everybody with a fresh slate.”

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Chiefs know the drill

The Chiefs probably have a bit of a jump on the Wildcats and Rocks, simply because of familiarity both in the coaching staff and roster. Last year’s 10-2 team lost a heart-breaker to Novi Detroit Catholic Central in the Division 1 regional championship.

New head coach Andy Lafata (who was on Baechler’s staff for a number of years) welcomes back a number of players from a season ago.

“High expectations ... the kids are working,” Lafata said. “A lot less sleep being the head coach, after being the assistant ... but we’re excited about it. We’re just trying to outwork people right now and teach things up.”

Leading Canton’s impressive cast is potential Division I recruit Darius Robinson, who towered over just about every other player during an afternoon practice earlier this week.

“Hype is not real,” Lafata said about lofty D-I projections following senior defensive lineman Robinson. “So we hope that Darius is real and that he lives up to the billing of what people are saying. But for us, he’s just another guy playing a position. If we put someone else in there, we expect the same results.

“He’s been a good leader, a good vocal leader for us. We’ve yet to play a game, so we haven’t seen him live yet.”

They also have a lot of others hungry to make their mark and keep the Canton tradition of success going.

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Darius Robinson.(Photo: Bill Bresler | hometownlife.com)

“Helps a lot that there’s people familiar with the system, so that we’re all on the same page on what we’re coaching and we’re familiar with the practice schedule and who the kids are,” Lafata said. “That helps. But every year’s different. Even if you have carryover, the kids are different. Every single year, you got to come and and teach them.”

Robinson and Van Berkel took a knee together during a water break, discussing some of the day’s schemes and assignments. Just like the Baechler days, a lot is expected of the Chiefs.

“It’s a new era, a little bit. We’re running the same offense,” Robinson said. “Everything’s still practically the same, it’s just new coaches, new bond, new chemistry. But all in all, we’ve been transitioning really well.

“We still want to win games, win our division, make a playoff run. We just got to keep pushing ourselves even further, further, harder, harder, every day at practice to get to the ultimate goal we want to be at.”

Wildcats building trust

The future is somewhat more uncertain elsewhere at the Park, although that “fresh canvas” provides extra hope for immediate relevance in the newfangled Kensington Lakes Activities Association.

According to Plymouth's Lewis, who last year coached Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, it helps to have stellar veteran returnees, such as senior running back Carson Miller, to provide a strong connection from the previous coaching regime.

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Carson Miller.(Photo: Bill Bresler | hometownlife.com)

“Carson Miller is a heck of a tailback and, yes, he’ll be a leader on the field for us,” Lewis said. “Anytime you get a kid of Carson’s talents and abilities, it’s good to have him carrying over, wherever. If we had 11 Carsons, we’d be pretty good.”

During the transition period and with his late hiring (June) contributing to less time to know the playbook and the players, Lewis is leaning on the expertise of returning assistant coaches such as offensive coordinator Brian Rochon.

“We got a couple guys that are carryovers from (Sawchuk's) staff and they’re great, they’re phenomenal,” Lewis said. “(Sawchuk) did a great job with this program and a great job with this team, so those guys are all quality, quality guys.

“And we have a couple guys that we brought in, that I brought in, that I have relationships with. So it’s quite a blend of old and new. It’s nice.”

The No. 1 task is building trust between every player and every member of the coaching staff.

“Everybody’s still learning,” said Lewis, 29. “But my hope is that we see a team that’s together. The ultimate thing is for us to walk in together, walk out together and, no matter what during the game, stay together.”

Miller is setting the tone both on and off the field, with his offensive ability and leadership qualities.

“For me, personally, it’s been easy,” Miller said. “The new coaches are great. And the transition is super-easy.

“I mean, this season, I do feel like everybody on the team likes each other and we’re all family. And I think the new coaches really pulled that together and made us come together in a really good way.”

Junior defensive end Ivan Davis, meanwhile, has noticed “a different tone, kind of more upbeat” during August practices.

Salem's energy boost

There is no shortage of energy or effort on the P-CEP turf field as the young and scrappy Salem Rocks gear up for the first season with Reed at the helm.

“Just hit the ground running,” Reed said about the key to starting the 2018 season. “New challenges and learning as we go but, just like our kids, I think we’ve got to grow up fast.

“We have a lot of guys that haven’t had a ton of playing time and now it’s their time to actually hit the field and see what they can do.”

The Rocks will be trying to earn a playoff spot for the second consecutive season, but the young group already is experiencing adversity — with the season-ending ACL injury to junior quarterback Matt Claerhout, suffered on the first play of the Blue and White scrimmage.

“(Claerhout) went to plant, no contact, and he’s out,” Reed said, adding that the injury is not foretelling a tough season. “I think it’s the opposite of an omen. Right now, the energy is positive here.

“The excitement level is high because, across the entire Park, it’s kind of a brand new feel with all the new coaches.”

Claerhout’s devastating injury has opened the door for Tyler Overaitis and he plans to make the most of the chance.

“We’re excited for what he can do,” Reed said. “He was brought up last year as a sophomore, so he has varsity experience, more on the defensive side of the ball. But like I said, he’s seen the Friday night lights, so I don’t think they’ll be too bright for him.”

Overaitis said he immediately bought in to his elevated roster status.

“I thought it was unfortunate to happen and I just got to step in and take over and keep this offense over,” Overaitis said. “I just got to focus up and just know all the plays and be a leader.”

One of Lewis’s former players at Gabriel Richard will be a main cog for Salem, junior lineman Josh Williams (6-3, 290).

“We’re definitely really excited to start a new regime here, we’re really excited to just play our first game,” Williams said. “We’ve been working hard all summer.”

Williams than talked about the team’s determination to play with pace and discipline.

“Each practice, we have to play with a good pace and we have to go out there and work hard, we can’t come out slow,” he said. “If we come out slow, then we’re going to get beat.”

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Practice on the day before the opener.(Photo: Bill Bresler | hometownlife.com)

If you have a compelling story to tell, contact Tim Smith at tsmith@hometownlife.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimSmith_Sports.